Spearmint is also known as common mint and garden mint. It is the herb from the mint species. The herb is mainly found in Europe and southern Asia and extends from the West of Ireland to South China. The scientific name of spearmint is Mentha Spicata. It has a wide variety of uses, from flavoring food and herbal teas to the production of aromatic oil used as a flavor or scent. It mainly thrives in organic soil but can readily adapt to grow in a variety of soils. Additionally, spearmint extracts make medicinal supplements. This discussion aims to analyze spearmint as herbal supplements alongside its contraindications and its impact on dental health.
Spearmint herb produces oil and has leaves that are useful for medicinal purposes. The leaves and oil extracted from the spearmint herb are used to make medicine effective in treating stomach issues such as indigestion, diarrhea, nausea, and irritable bowel syndrome (Chrysargyris et al., 2017). Besides that, medicine made out of spearmint effectively treats colds, sore throat, toothaches, colds, cancer, and upper respiratory tract inflammations. Additionally, spearmint is used in the maintenance of oral health and hygiene. However, it is vital to note that there is a need for more evidence to rate the herb's effectiveness on these conditions.
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Spearmint is safe for oral usage and applying on the skin. The side effects of spearmint are very uncommon for both oral dosage and external. However, like any other medication, spearmint has its contraindications. Notably, pregnant and breastfeeding women should not use spearmint. A large intake of spearmint in pregnant women is likely to cause damage to the uterus. Moreover, the application of spearmint on the skin shows no effect, but it may cause allergic reactions to some people, which is very rare (Chrysargyris et al., 2017). Additionally, the usage of spearmint increases the possibility of kidney damage to patients with underlying kidney conditions. The higher the amount of intake, the greater the effects. Thus, people exposed to an increased risk of kidney problems should not take spearmint. Another implication of spearmint is liver diseases. High intake of Spearmint tea damages the liver or make liver disorders worse. However, spearmint has remarkable benefits for dental health.
Spearmint is known to be beneficial for the dental health of an individual. It contains high levels of antitoxins that prevent swelling and enhances healing in the body. Additionally, spearmint has germicidal properties that are beneficial to an individual's oral health (Elmastaş et al., 2006). Chewing spearmint gums helps kill the bacteria residues that contribute to cavities and gum infections (Johnson et al., 2013). Spearmint has potassium, magnesium, and calcium that help maintain and develop bone density in the jaw and tooth. It facilitates the production of enzymes and saliva that are essential for digestion. Besides that, it leaves a fresh breath, which leaves the teeth and gum healthy. There are no contraindications stated for spearmint on dental health.
Conclusively, Spearmint herb has remarkable benefits to the overall health of an individual. There are no problematic side effects for the usage of spearmint. However, it is vital to note that spearmint has some contraindications on pregnant, breastfeeding women and people with liver and kidney disorders. The intake of spearmint may not be safe for patients in these categories. Additionally, chewing of spearmint gums is beneficial for the dental health and oral hygiene.
References
Chrysargyris, A., Xylia, P., Botsaris, G., & Tzortzakis, N. (2017). Antioxidant and antibacterial activities, mineral and essential oil composition of spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) affected by the potassium levels. Industrial Crops and Products , 103 , 202-212.
Elmastaş, M., Dermirtas, I., Isildak, O., & Aboul‐Enein, H. Y. (2006). Antioxidant activity of S‐carvone isolated from spearmint (Mentha Spicata L. Fam Lamiaceae). Journal of liquid chromatography & related technologies , 29 (10), 1465-1475.
Johnson, A. J., Muneem, M., & Miles, C. (2013). Chewing gum benefits sustained attention in the absence of task degradation. Nutritional Neuroscience , 16 (4), 153-159.
